Confession time.
One of my besties has recently moved to Melbourne for a year and, while I’m excited about the adventure they’re on, I’m also a tad…deep breath…envious. There. I said it. Melbourne for a whole year. The possibilities…
On the extremely bright side, I now have both an extra reason to visit- as if I needed an excuse, who am I kidding- and accommodation…
Anyways, in the interests of making sure that her and her husband have settled in ok (I’m such a caring friend), I toddled down there inflicted my presence on them over the Anzac weekend.
Rather than re-visiting my favourites, the deal was trying somewhere new. The rules are strict- you can only go back to a place if it’s new for someone.
Zumbo’s
I’ve been to one in Sydney, but that doesn’t count…
Anyone who knows me well knows that I like my sugar fermented. I don’t do dessert…unless it’s a Josh Emmett Rata deconstructed something or other. So what was I doing at Zumbo’s? Enabling, of course!
I had the croissant….and a very good croissant it was…
Beer
…at Caulfield RSL on ANZAC Day. It’s a slightly surreal feeling drinking VB from plastic cups in the sun in a beer garden in suburban Melbourne surrounded by a heap of Kiwis in uniform. Don’t ask…also try & ignore the chipped nail polish in the pic.
Brighton Beach
Yes, yes, I know…I’ve been there before– as have my friends. Strictly speaking, this one would have been a breach of the rules except for one small but not insignificant fact. I’ve never been there when the sky is blue… with a camera.
Street Art
Sadly not much to report this trip.
Some new stuff sighted around Fitzroy,
some commercial stuff around Southbank
and South Yarra.
Next time I’ll walk the lanes again and venture out to Brunswick to see what’s new. Ok?
My friend and I have been here before on a girls weekend many moons ago, but it’s new for her hubby, so qualifies.
We ate pizzas and pies- as you do on a sunny Fitzroy afternoon- and followed it up with a stroll up and down Brunswick Street.
Locked up…
Sure they’re cheesy, but I love these padlocks along the footbridge from Flinders Station to Southbank. I wonder how many couples together forever are still together forever…or has forever seems like forever kicked in?
Breakfast at Aini, South Yarra
What can I say? Hash browns, smoked salmon, perfectly poached egg and hollandaise sauce…what’s not to like? My friend had hers with corn fritters and smashed avo…
Toorak Road, South Yarra- right near South Yarra station.
Chez Olivier’s, Prahran
I’m not normally one for French restaurants- they tend to be at the pretension end of the scale and I so don’t do pretentious food.
We ended up here partly because we’d had Thai for lunch (see my post on Bangpop) and partly because we couldn’t get into any of the name chef places…and you know what? I’m so glad we did.
The service staff were French (or at least able to fake really good accents), the menu had all the classics you’d expect with a few surprises, and the meals were simply magnifique. Sadly, it doesn’t photograph well…
Chez Olivier’s is in Greville St, Prahran. Any Chapel St tram should get you there. You’ll need to book.
And Anyways... 
I just savoured my last Little Creatures Pale Ale (from Fremantle, of course) for 4 weeks!!! I still have time to have another…hmmm. You said you had pizza…what about the beer???? We WA people are BIG Little Creatures fans.
Aaaaah I’ve sampled a drop or three in Fremantle too over the years :). My friend’s hubby had a beer, but after way too many trips to the bathroom after a couple of VBs earlier in the day (too much information?) I stuck to wine this time…I’m particularly partial to their IPA though…
I have to admit I don’t really crave other cities or places. I mean I’ve long longed to go to Italy (well, Tuscany) and hope to get there one day, but having left Brisbane I don’t miss the place at all (except my fave Chinese restaurant). I’ve never really desired to spend any time in Sydney or Melbourne etc… I think I’m just a bit of a homebody – not a big explorer.